An elusive denizen of alpine heights, Tera Girafos spend their days slowly migrating through the mountain ranges where they dwell. Due to the scarcity of food sources, they have evolved the ability to eat pretty much any sort of vegetation, and during harsh winter months, they will even venture into the foothills in search of nourishment. Their dark coloration helps them blend in with the bleak landscape, and their thick, dense fur keeps cold temperatures at bay. The twisting horns that grace their heads are used for defense and in brief tussles between males for the privilege of mating with a female. Tera Girafos are solitary creatures, likely a consequence of the lack of reliable food sources, but they do occasionally communicate with deep, eerie calls that can echo for miles across the mountaintops. These sounds are most often heard during the short spring breeding season, when females seek out potential mates, or between mating pairs. A mating pair will remain together until their calf—or, rarely, calves—is old enough to survive on its own, with one watching over the juvenile while the other seeks out new grazing areas.

The creatures that dwell in this rather desolate world still display some diversity in appearance, eating habits, and social behavior. Whether they have fur or feathers, skin or scales, their unique genetic makeup allows for a variety of colors and markings within each species. Despite limitations in food sources, herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores are all present in the food chain, and each species requires specialized care within a laboratory. Although the artificial setting of housing units and breeding pods precludes most opportunities to study true interspecific behavior, the interactions within and between species has been studied extensively in the wilderness by scientists daring enough to venture beyond the outpost’s walls.